HELP in deciding on a duck breed....SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM

[honeydoll]

Chris 09 - I didn't know about the migratory bird permit. I just got a Mallard from someone and well we kept them in their coop for a week. We let them free range after that, and for a couple of days he was happy, but then my neighbor's boxer got loose and chased it in the woods and it never came back. The boxer never got a hold of it, I know that but I guess he flew away. I was so upset. This boxer gets loose about avery six months, not too often but he chases the chickens around here when he does get out of his pen. I guess since my mallard was a flier he decided "Forget this". Anyway our Rouen is still here and is very friendly.

 

[backforty]

How about swedish. I only have one duck, a blue swedish drake. He is friendly ,tries to make friends with everything, loves foraging, very hardy, doesnt fly only tries, and the ducks are supposed to set. They are also on the watch lish and are so beautiful.

 

[vicki2x2]

Don't know much about them, but how about a Dutch Hookbill? They are certainly uncommon.

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Swedish. That would be cool.

 

[callducklover20]

Call Ducks all the way

, they are tiny, love people-mine are so friendly. And talk about great prices for selling the eggs and birds-these little guys are getting so popular and come in great colors, Grey(mallard look), apricot, butterscotch, white,pied, etc-look at all the pics of everyones on here. The eggs are full size too for being out of a tiny little adorable duck, and they are really hardy too. I do have a Caygua who is very sweet but my calls are by far my favorite. Look at Duckluck and Annarie 's babies

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Call Ducks for eggs? I am hatching 18 as we speak. Well, they are incubating. I am hoping for a good hatch but we'll see...I know they are hard to hatch. I hope to and get to sell the ducklings. I've got two babies now, one is chocolate and one is white. They are only three week old.

 

[honeydoll]

Well I think I've narrowed it down: Either Welsh Harlequin, Saxony, or Silver Appleyard, or Magpie. Oh, crud, I haven't narrowed ot down that much, have I....

I really like the cayuga but read they do not do well confined, what is anyone's personal experience with that. They will get to free range but not all the time. I also read cayugas are hard to clean due to dark feathers. I know most people on this forum use ducks for pets, but we will use some for meat as well.

 

[mahsmaj]

Welsh harlequins can be sexed practically right after they hatch too!

 

[vicki2x2]

Found another one, Ancona's. Similar to magpies, but a bit stockier. Good layer and dual purpose duck. You can see them here:

http://feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Anc/BRKAnconaDuck.html

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/waterfowl/ancona.html

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Ya, I read about that too,. That would make things easier. They are beautiful ducks too.